Mop



Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENTO FFKTE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to mops, and has for an object to provide a .mopso constructed of such material that it will collapse upon a stick andretain itself upon the stick by such collapsing process.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mop composed of materialsubject to shrinkage when wet, which said material is produced over aform maintaining a central opening for the insertion of a mop stick, andwhich collapses upon said stick when the mop is wetted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mop of some cordage,such for instance as cotton cordage, wound or built upon a central coreor mandrel, which will maintain the cordage with a central opening, thenWinding about the cordage other types of cordage subject to greatshrinkage when wetted, and then'replacing the central core by a mopstick which will be firmly grasped by the collapsing mop structure, whenwetted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mop having a coreformed therein and marketed therewith, which said core supports acordage body thereabout wound with other cordage in such manner that thecore may be displaced by an entering mop stick, and the mop collapsedfrom the tension of the winding and shrinkage.

The invention therefore comprises a cordage mop preferably formed abouta central circular member and wound thereon by a cordage underconsiderable tension, and the core forced out of the mop by theintroduction of the mop stick displacing said core, or as a modificationthe solidifying of the mop structure by some impregnating solublematerial which will maintain the central opening for the insertion ofthe stick until dissolved or softened by introduction into water.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a View of a mop of the present invention shown in sideelevation, partly broken away, to show the stick in position and thefibers cut off,

Figure 2 is a view of the mop in end elevation, Figure 3 is adiametrical sectional view through the mop showing the core in position,and the mop stick in position to displace the core,

Figure 4 is a similar diametrical sectional view with the core displacedby the mop stick, and the mop collapsed upon the stick,

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the core, and

Figure 6 is a view in end elevation of the mop, which is constructedwithout a core by solidifying the cordage by a soluble material.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

The mop, which forms the subject-matter of this application, is made intwo types, one with and one without a core. With the type employing thecore, a core 10 is employed. As shown in the drawing, this core 10indicates a hollow core, such as may-be made from rolled paper, but itis to be understood that any type of circular or cylindrical core iswithin the scope of the invention, such for instance as a plaincylindrical wooden core. With the core of the choice, cordage 11 isplaced about this core, preferably by folding the ends, as at 12, whichmakes a neater appearing mop. With the cordage thus spaced as uniformlyas may be about this core, the structure is wrapped by other cordage 13under considerable tension to provide a tendency on the part of thecordage 11 to collapse, if the core is removed.

A mop stick 14 is employed preferably having a reduced neck 15. The head16 approximates the diameter of the core. The stick 14, it will beunderstood, is of any material, and the term stick as employed, does notindicate any particular material. It is employed by forcing the core 10out of the mop. The initial step is shown at Figure 3, with the head 16of the stick abutting against the end of the core, which is being movedin the direction indicated by the arrow. Continued force, forces thecore to the position shown at Figure 4 with the reduced part of the mopstick replacing the core, and by reason of the tension of the cordage13, the cordage 11 will collapse onto the stick. When the mop is wetted,the shrinkage of the cordage 13 and the swelling of the cordage 11 willfurther bind the mop upon the stick.

Instead of forming the mop upon a removable core, as shown at 10, it maybe formed upon a mandrel. In this case, the cordage is folded at 12',the same as shown at Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, but no bodily removablecore is employed. When so formed upon the mandrel and wound by thecordage 13, that part of the structure is impregnated by some material,which is soluble in water and removable thereby. This may be of a glueynature, which hardens in air and softens in water. The invention is noway limited to the particular material employed to impregnate thecordage. When so impregnated, it is allowed to remain upon the mandreluntil it is hardened, then the mandrel is withdrawn, and the mop retainsits form by reason of the rigidity imparted thereto by the impregnatingmaterial.

In this type, the stick is inserted into the mop and then immersed inwater until the impregnating material has dissolved or softened to suchan extent to allow the tension of the cordage 13 and the swelling of theother cordage to collapse the mop upon the stick when it will appearsubstantially as shown at Figure 4.

It will, therefore, be seen that it is wholly immaterial whether a coreis employed and marketed with the mop, as shown at Figures 1 to 4inclusive, or whether it is formed in a rigid mass by soluble material.In any case, before the mop is ready for use, it collapses upon the mopstick and firmly holds itself in that position. To remove the mop fromthe mop stick to permit the stick to be re-used for another mop, it ismerely necessary to cut the cordage 13, when the whole structure willfall apart and release the stick for re-use.

The various proportions shown in the drawings for the cordage, the core,and the stick are only illustrative and may be varied as experience maydictate.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:-

1. A mop comprising a body composed of cordage extending longitudinallythereof and formed 3. A mop head comprising a body of fibrous materialhaving an opening therethrough, cordage secured around the head at theopening under tension tending to collapse the material to close theopening, and soluble rigid means impregnating the fibrous material andtending to restrain the collapsing.

4. A mop head comprising a body of fibrous material having an openingtherethrough, water shrinkable cordage secured around the head at theopening under tension tending to collapse the material to close theopening, and soluble rigid means impregnating the fibrous material andtending to restrain the collapsing.

5. A mop comprising a body composed of cord age about a central opening,other cordage wound under tension about and tending to collapse thefirst mentioned cordage to constrict the opening, and removable meansengaging the cordage and substantially confined in extent to the regionof said other cordage opposing the collapsing tendency.

6. A mop comprising a body composed of cordage about a central opening,other shrinkable cordage wound under tension about and tending tocollapse the first mentioned cordage to constrict the opening, andremovable means engaging the cordage and substantially confined inextent to the region of said other cordage for opposing the collapsingtendency.

7. A mop comprising a body composed of cordage about a central removablecore, and other cordage wound under tension about and tending tocollapse the first mentioned cordage to constrict the opening when thecore is removed, said core substantially confined in extent to theregion of said other-cordage.

WILLIAM ANTHONY LAMKEY.

